Taxes To Stay Same Under New Budget

City residents got a new city budget on Wednesday without a tax rate increase.

City commissioners approved a $44.6 million budget, 5.6 percent higher than the current one. The tax rate remains $6.98 per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Almost half of the city's budget will be spent on payroll, which will increase by 4.2 percent.

The Golden Isles Safe Neighborhood District will keep the same rate of $1.09 per $1,000 of assessed property. The Three Islands Safe Neighborhood District rate remains $1.11 per $1,000 of assessed property. Emergency medical service fees will increase from $23 to $29 a year to fund the purchase of defibrillators for police cruisers.